Sheet-delivery apparatus



April 17, 1928. I 1,666,489.

M. A. DROITCOUR SHEET DELIVERY APPARATUS Original Fild Jan. 5. 1922 s Sheets-Sheet 1 6r teal-c140 April 17, 1928. 1,666,489

M. A. DROITCOUR SHEET DELIVERY APPARATUS Original Fi ld Jan. 5. 1922 s Sheets-Sheet 2v Patented Apr. 17, 1928.

UNITED STATES MICHAEL A. DROITCOUR, OF EDG-EWOOD; RHODE ISLAND.

SHEET-DELIVERY APPARATUS.

Application filed January 5, 1922, Serial No. 527,125. Renewed September 14, 1927.

This invent-ion is a novel mechanism for delivering and piling sheets of papers. It is especially designed for use in connection with printing presses but can be used in connection with other machines, such as ruling machines, perforators, scoring, bronzing, and numbering machines; and is adapted to handlesheets one at a time, or several at a time.

The principalobjects of the invention are to produce a self contained delivery unit; to provide a reciprocable angularly disposed sheet carrier movingin a horizontal and in a vertical direction; to operate the reciprocating carrier by endless belts or chains; to provide novel means for causing these chains to reciprocate so that when moving in one direction a sheet will be forwarded over the pile and when moving in the opposite direction the sheet will be dropped upon the, pile; to provide novel means for preventing overrunning of the sheets while being carried out over the pile; to provide a reciprocating carrier whose motion will be uniform for the greater part of its travel in both directions, and have a true crank ireverse at each end of its travel: and to provide a mechanism which can be driven in exact unison with the operation of the press or other ma chine whose product it is receiving but which is practically entirely independent -of such machine except for the single timing and driving connection. Other minor objects and advantages of the invention will be hereinafter set forth.

In the accompanying drawings I have illustrated one practical embodiment of the invention and will describe it with reference to said drawings to enable others to adoptand use the same, but I do not consider the invention restricted or limited to the particular construction of apparatus shown in said drawings and therefore refer to the claims for summaries of the essentials of the invention and the novel combinations of parts and the novel features of construction for all of which protection is desired.

In said drawings:

Fig. 1 is a rear end elevation of the complete delivery unit or machine.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation thereof.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged detail section of the device for operating the sheet detaining stops.

Fig. i'is a detailed sectional viewshowing part of the carrier showin'g the sheet stops.

Fig. 5' is an enlarged view showing the reciprocating carrier and its operating devices, and the sheet controlling devices coacting therewith.

F gs. 6 and 7 are diagrammatical views illustrating the operation of the carrier in delivering the sheet.

Fig. 8 is-a detail view of thescotch-yoke devices for operating the carrier.

The operative parts of the device, may be mounted in any suitable frame or support. As shown the frame has four corner uprights 1, which are suitably connected together to .form a substantially rigid frame.

Attached to the front or inner end of the said frame (adjacent one end of the press, or other machine, with which-the delivery unit is to be used) is a bearing 2 for adrivin-g shaft 2, which maybe operatively connected with or geared to the driving mechanism or driving shaft of the said press so as to have a proper and accurately timed rotation relati-vethe operative mechanism ofsaid press. Shaft 2 preferably is geared so as to make one full revolution for each cycle of operations of the press or machine.

On the end of shaft 2, in the frame 1, is a sprocket 2 and above the sprocket 2 is a similar sprocket 2 mounted on a stud 2 suitably mounted on the frame 1; and around these sprockets 2*,2" runs anendless sprocket chain 2".

Suitably connected to this sprocket chain and traveling therewith is a crank pin 3 which is operatively engaged with .a block 3 slidably mounted in va yoke casting 3' 'attached to a bar 3 which lies .beside and at right angles to the parallel runs of the chain 2 and is connected at its ends to opposite parallel endless chains 4. The chain 2, pin 3, block 3 :and yoke casting 3' together form a scotch yoke movement whereby the bar 3' is raised and lowered vertically during each complete orbital movement .of the pin 3 throughout the length .of the chain 2 thereby imparting a reciprocating movement to the chains 4.

The chains 4 (see F ig. 5) run over sprockets 4. on a shaft 4 (suitably journailed or supported in hearings on the frame adjacent the inner pair of uprights 1) then up over sprockets 4: mounted on studs or shafts 4 near the upper ends of the said uprights. Sprocketsd are in vertical alinement with and. above the sprockets 4* so that the runs of the chains-4' between the sprockets 4" and 44 are in a plane parallel with the plane of the chain 2 From the sprockets 4% the chains 4t pass horizontally outward to and over sprockets 4 mounted on studs e attached to the frame adjacent theouter pair of uprights 1. The sprockets l are in salinement with and preferably in the same horizontal plane as sprockets at so that the upper portions of the runs of the chains 4 are hori- Zontal and practically at an angle of to the vertical portions of the runs of said chains 4t. Fij'om sprockets 4 the chains 4; pass back toward sprockets t to and over sprockets l mounted on studs al suitably supported on brackets attached to the inner uprights l; and from the sprockets 4 the chains 4: pass vertically downwardto the sprockets 42", from whence they started. The opposite chains l are thus parallel throughout and extend vertically for part of their length, between the sprockets 4, 4t; and then extend horizontally, for the remainder of their length, between the sprockets 4;, 4t", and r. I

The bar 3" being fast to the vertical portions of the runs of the chains 4t, said chains will be caused to reciprocate by and with the movement of the yoke 3, and will therefore have a uniform movement, corresponding to that-of the oke, while the yoke is ransversing the distance between the shafts 2 and 2 on'each stroke; and said chains will be given a true crank. reverse, at the ends of the uniform movement of the yoke, while pin 3 is passing around sprocket 2*01' Q Mounted upon and carried by and. between the parallel chains i are two tape rollers 5 and 5. Any suitable bearings for the journals of the rollers 5, 5 may be provided and attached to the chains 4t in any well known manner. The roller 5 is mounted in bearings attached to the vertical portions of the runs of the chains l adjacent to but above the yoke 3"; and the roller 5 is mounted in bearings attached to the horizontal portion of the runs of the chains 4, at such a distance from the roller 3 that when roller 5 is in its uppermost position, (adjacent sprockets l) the roller 5* will be in its outermost position (adjacent sprockets 4;); and when the roller 5 is in its lowermost position, roller 5 will be in its innermost position, (adjacent sprocket t A roller 5" is mounted in suitable hearings on frame adjacent the inner uprights 1, and lies above the roller 5, and above but adjacent the inner side of the sprockets 4:. Parallel with and beside the roller 5 is a similar roller 5 journaled in suitable bearings in the frame adjacent the inner uprights 1. The said rollers 5 5 5 carry a set of endless tapes 5. These tapes, starting from the roller 5, run upwardly over roller 5", then horizontally to and over the roller 5, then back to and over the roller 5, and then down the roller 5.

The set of tapes 5 are reciprocated back and forth by, with, and as, the chains 4. The upper horizontal portions of the tapes 5 lengthen or shorten as the roller 5 moves toward or away from the roller 5*; and the vertical portions of the tapes 5 lengthen or shorten as the roller 5 moves toward or away from the roller 5". The vertical loops of the tapes 5 lengthening as and in accordance with the shortening; of the horizontal loops thereof, and vice versa.

Mounted on the ends of the rollers 5, 5 5", and 5 are sprockets 5, 5", 5 5" over which runs'an'endless sprocket chain 5 (see Fig. The upper run of this chain 5 is engaged by a pawl 53 mounted on the frame (see Fig. This pawl does not interfere with the linear movement of the chain 5 when theroller 5 is moving outwardly toward the sprocket l but when the roller 5 starts inward toward the sprockets 5, said pawl 5 prevents inward movement of the upper run of the chain 5, and consequently the rotation of roller 5 is prevented, but its travel is not interfered with, with the result that the roller 5 is rotated by the movement of the portions of the tapes 5 and chain 5 which pass from the upper runs or loops thereof to the lower runs or loops to supply the demand of the loop taken up by the roller 5. Any other suitable means may be used to arrest the movement of the tapes to drop the sheet'as above described.

W hen the roller 5 moves outwardly away from the roller 5" the pawl 5 does not afiect the chain 5 and there will be a uniform movement of both the upper and lower portions of the tapes 5 and chain 5, and consequent-ly there will be:no rotation of the rollers 5, 5, and the sheet S will be simply carried out on the upper portions of the tapes 5 as indicated in Fig. 6. When the roller 5 starts inward the upper runs of tapes 5 will be held stationary, as described, while the roller 5 is rotated by the movement of the intermediate lower portion of the tapes from roller 5 back to and around roller 5; the upper loop of the tapes 5 simply droppingaway or withdrawing, from beneath the sheet S and depositing it upon the pile board 6, as indicated in Fig. 7. The

' sheets are received. upon the upper horizontal 'runs of the tapes 5 and carried thereby out over a pile board 6 (Fig. 6) and dropped upon the pile when the upper run-0f the tapes recedes (Fi 7).

The pile is supported upon a board (3 shown as suspended by chains (i from sheaves 6" on shafts 6, arranged at opposite sides of the frame, and journaled in suitable bearings attached to the frame adjacent the upper ends of the uprights 1. On shafts 6 are worm gears 6 (Fig. 2) meshing with worms 6 on a shaft 7 journaled in suitable brackets on the uprights 1. The shaft 7 may be slowly rotated by means of a sprocket 7, on shaft 7, driven by a chain 7 b from a sprocket 7 "loosely mounted on a short shaft 7 mounted in suitable bearings on the base of the feeder frame. The sprocket 7 is adapted to be engaged by a suitableaclutch member indicated at ,7", which may be loosely splined on shaft 7", and which can be moved into or out of engagement with the sprocket 7 c in the usual manner, or by any suitable means to engage or disengage the sprocket 7 from this shaft 7. Shaft 7 carries a bevel gear 7 meshing with a bevel 7 on a shaft 7 driven by any suitable means. When the delivery unit is used in connection with a printing press the shaft 7 is preferably connected with and driven by the feeder mechanism (not shown) by which the sheets are supplied from a pile and are fed to the press (not shown) in the well known manner so that the delivery board 6 lowers as the feed board raises and the pile of sheets thereon is re duced. a

\Vhen it is desired to raise or'lower the board -6 quickly, clutch 7* can be disengaged from the sprocket 7 and a crank handle 7 applied to the shaft 7 to turn it by hand. This crank handle could be applied to a stud shaft 7" mounted in a bearing 7 attached I to the frame and carrying a sprocket 7 connected by a sprocket chain 7 P to a small sprocket 7" on shaft 7. By the said means the pile board 6 may be raised or lowered to adjust the pile or the board prior to the automatic operation of the machine.

A rod 9 is mounted on the chains 4 adjacent the roller 5 and parallel with but above said roller. This rod carries stop finger 9. On one end of rod 9 is an arm 9 (see Fig. 3) which has a recess 9 in which is mounted an expansion spring 9 which may have a friction plate 9 of any suitable material on its outer end adapted to engage a bar 10 supported on brackets 10 attached to the frame (see Figs. 3 and at). A friction plate 9, of any suitable material, may be attached to the outer side of arm 9 and slidably engage the outer side of the bar 10 opposite the plate 9.

The sheet stops are moved backward and forward with the roller 5; and on, the outward stroke the friction devices 9 '9 engaging bar 10 cause rod 9 to rock and move the stop fingers 9 into position to prevent the sheet S over running roller 5*. On the return stroke the friction devices cause the shaft'to rock so as to raise the stop fingers 9 (see Fig. 4) so they will not interfere with the dropping of the sheet over the roller.

A rod 11 is mounted on the inner end of the frame adjacent and above the roller 5" and on this rod are mounted adjustable guide fingers 11 by which the sheets brought forward by the tapes Sare properl-ydirected to and laid upon the upper run of tapes 5 The delivery unit as shown may be used in connection with an ordinary sheet printing press and the shaft 2 driven by suitable gearing from the driving mechanism of the press, so that the gear 2 has an exact synchronous timed relation to the press, and is rotated onceffor each cycle of operations of the press (or other machine for operating upon sheets).

The sheets are fed .to the press (or other machine for operating upon sheets) preferably. by an automatic feeder (notshown) and after being printed are transferred from the press (or other machine for operating upon sheets) to the delivery unit by delivery tapes 8 running from the press to a roller 8 mounted in the delivery frame adjacent roller 5 as indicated in Figs.2 'and 5, so that tapes 8 will discharge the sheets directly over roller 5" onto the upper horizontal portions or runs of the'tapes 5 (see Fig. 5). Tapes 8, and 5 all travel at substantially the same linear speed, so that the sheets are suc cessively brought from the press and passed out onto the upper runs of the tapes 5, as roller 5* moves outwardly,away from roller 5", and the sheet is carried thereby out over the pile board 6 (see Fig. 6); and as the roller 5 moves inward, toward roller 5 the upper runs of the tapes 5 move from beneath the sheet and drop it upon the board 6 (see Fig. 7) as above described.

The board 6 is preferably lowered autom ati cally, as the pile of sheets increases in height.

While I have hereinbefore referred to chains it is obvious that any suitable flexible means might be used in lieu of the chains. The delivery unit is adapted for use not only in connection with-printing presses but also with many other machines for operating upon sheets; and also it is adapted to handle I single wide sheets, or a plurality of narrow sheetsside by side, or a plurality of sheets superposed one upon the other. I also do not consider the invention restricted to the specific form of apparatus shown, as it is capable of embodiment in various structural forms within the scope of the invention.

.1 claim:

1. In combination a pair of endless carriers, a yoke connected with the carriers, a pin slidably connected with said yoke, an endless chain carrying said pin, and means for driving the endless chain and thereby imparting reciprocatory movement to the yoke and carriers, substantially as described.

2. In combination an endless carrier. a yoke connected with the carrier, a pin slidably connected with said yoke,an endless chain carrying said pin, and means for driving the endless chain and thereby imparting reciprocat'ory movement to the yoke and carrier, substantially as described;

- 3. In combination a pair of endless chains extending in an angular path and having a vertically extending portion and a horizontally extending portion; guide sprockets for said chains located at the junction of said portions; rollers mounted on said chains and carrying a set, of endless tapes, means for imparting reciprocatory movements to said chains to bodily reciprocate the said tapes; a yoke connected with said chains, a pin slidably connected with said yoke, an endless chain carrying said pin, and means for driving the endlesschain and thereby imparting reciprocatory movement to the yoke.

4. In apparatus as set forth, a pair of endless chains extending in an angular path and having a vertically extending portion and a horizontally extending portion; guide sprockets for said chains located at the junction of said portions; a pair of endless tapes, rollers mounted on said chains by which the said tapes are moved; and means for imparting reciprocatory motion to the said tapes.

5. In apparatus as set forth in claim l, a yoke connected with the chains,'a pin slid ably connected With said yoke, an endless chain carrying said pin, and means for driving the endless chain and thereby imparting reciprocatory movement to the yoke and chains connected therewith, substantially as described.

6. In apparatus of the character specified,

a tape roller moving in a vertical direction;

a second tape roller moving in a horizontal direction; and intermediate tape guide rollers located above the vertically movable roller and to one side of the horizontally movable roller; endless tapes running from one movable roller to the other and guided by the intermediate rollers whereby the tapes are bent so as to have a vertical loop and a horizontal loop; and means for reciprocating the entire set of tapes endwise to alternately lengthen and shorten the respective portions.

7. In apparatus as set forth in claim 6, a pair of endless chains beside the path of the endless tapes and having vertically eXtending portions and horizontally extending portions; guide sprockets for said chains located at the junction of said portions; movable tape rollers being mounted on said chains; and. means for imparting oscillatory motion to said chains to bodily reciprocate the said tapes.

8. In apparatus as set forth in claim 6 a pair of endless chains beside the path of the endless tapes and having vertically extending portions and horizontally extending por tions; guide sprockets for said chains located at the junction of said portions; the

movable tape rollers being mounted on said chains; a yoke connected with said chalns, a.

pin slidably connected with said yoke, and an endless chain carrying said pin, substant1ally as described.

9. In apparatus as set forth in claim 6, endlesschains having vertically extending portions and horizontally extending portions; guide sprockets "for said chains at the junction'ot' said portions, said tapes being carried by said chains; and means to impart bodily reciprocatory motion to the said chains. g r

1.0. In apparatus as set forth in claim 6, a pair of endless chains beside the path of the endless tapes and having vertically extending portions and horizontally extending portions, guide sprockets for said chains located at the junction of said portions; the movable tape rollers being mounted on said chains; a yoke connected with the tape car riers, a. pin slidably connected with said yoke, an endless chain carrying said pin, and

means for driving the endless chain'and thereby imparting reciprocatory movement to the yoke and chains, substantially as described. V

11. In apparatus of the character specified, a reciprocating sheet carrier, a rod moving with the carrier, stop fingers on the rod, a bar beside the carrier, an arm on the rod, and friction means carriedby said arm engaging said bar whereby the rod is rocked in one direction during one movement of the carrier to hold the fingers in sheet engaging position, and is rocked in the opposite direction on the opposite movement of the carrier to hold the stop fingersvout off-sheet engagmg position. v

12. In sheet delivery apparatus, a reciprocating sheet carrier movable in an angular path, an endless drive belt, and a crank connection between said belt and the carrier for reciprocating the carrier.

13. In combination with a reciprocating carrier as set forth in claim 12, a rod mounted on the carrier, stop fingers mounted on said rod and means for oscillating the rod to cause the fingers to arrest the sheet on one movement of'the carrier and to move out of the way of the sheets on the reverse movement of the carrier.

14. In sheet delivery apparatus, a reciproeating sheet carrier having one portion extending vertically and another portion extending horizontally, flexible means operatively connected with the respective portions of the carrier, an endless drive belt, and a crank connection between said belt and said means for reciprocating the carrier.

15. In combination With mechanism as set forth in claim 14, a reciprocating sheet carrier, a rod, stop fingers on the rod, an arm on the rod, and frictionmeans carried by said arm whereby the rod is rocked in one direction during one movement thereof to hold the fingers in sheet engaging position, and rocked in the opposite direction on the return movement thereof to hold the stop fingers out of sheet engaging position.

16. In combination a reciprocating sheet carrier extending in an angular path, and means for guiding said carrier at the bend of its path, flexible means operatively connected with the carrier; an endless drive belt, and a crank connection between said belt and said means for reciprocating the carrier.

17. In combination with mechanism as set forth in claim 16, a rod, stop fingers on the rod, an arm on the rod, a bar and friction devices carried by said arm to engage said bar, whereby the rod is rocked in one direction during one movement thereof to hold the fingers in sheet engaging position, and is rocked in the opposite direction on the opposite movement thereof to hold the stop fingers out of sheet engaging position.

18. In combination a sheet carrier extending in an angular path, means for guiding said carrier at the bend of the path; flexible means operatively connected with the carrier; an endless drive belt; and a scotch yoke driving connection between said belt and said means for imparting a bodily reciprocatory motion to the said carrier.

19. In sheet delivery apparatus, a reciprocating sheet carrier moving in an angular path; means for guiding the carrier at the bend of its path; flexible means operatively connected with the carrier; an endless drive belt, and a crank connection between said belt and said means for reciprocating the carrier.

20. In sheet delivery apparatus, a reciprocating sheet carrier having one portion extending vertically and another portion extending horizontally; means for guiding the carrier at the bend of its path; flexible means operatively connected with the respective portions of the carrier an endless drive belt, and a crank connect-ion between said belt and said means for reciprocating the carrier.

21. In combination a sheet carrier extending in an angular path, means for guiding said carrier at the bend of the path; endless tapes carried by said carrier; flexible means operatively connected with the carrier; an

endless drive belt; and a scotch yoke driving connection between said belt and said means.

22. In combination endless carriers extending in an angular path, guides for said carriers at the bend of the path; endless tapes carried by said carriers; flexible means operatively connected with said carriers; an endless drive belt; and a crank connection between said belt and said means for reciprocating the carrier to impart a bodily reciprocatory motion to the said tapes, substantially as described.

23. In combination a pair of endless carriers moving in an angular path and having a vertically extending portion and a horizontally extending portion; rollers mounted on said carriers; endless tapes running on said rollers and extending in an angular path parallel with that of the carriers; a yoke connected with the carriers, a pin slidably connected with said yoke, an endless chain carrying said pin, and means for driving the endless chain and thereby imparting reciprocatory movement to the yoke and carrier, substantially as described. a

24. In apparatus of the character specilied, a tape roller moving in a vertical direction, a second tape roller moving in a horizontal direction, intermediate tape guides located above the vertically movable roller and to one side of the horizontally movable roller; endless tapes running from one movable roller to the other and guided by the intermediate guides, whereby the tapes are bent so as to have a vertical loop and a horizontal loop; endless chains extending in an angular path and having a vertically extending portion and a horizontally extending portion; guide sprockets for said chains at the junction of said portions, said tapes being carried by said chains, and means for imparting an oscillatory motion to saidv chains to impart bodily reciprocatory motion to the said tapes.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my'own I aflix my signature.

MICHAEL A. DROITCOUR. 

